Fish farming

Fish farming is mainly done in fresh water (87 %), and is above all a type of subsistence aquaculture, providing animal protein for local populations. Asian carp are the most important species by far (common carp, grass carp, silver carp, bighead carp etc.), representing 19.5 million tonnes. Salmonid production is close to 2.0 million tonnes, with two large producers : Norway followed by Chile. Then come the tilapias, milkfish, catfish and eels. Yields vary from 100 kg per hectare (extensive) to 100 kg per m3 (intensive).

Marine fish farming represents 9% of world fish production. Amberjack (reared in Japan) have been produced at a stable level (about 150 000 tonnes) since 1980, while other species have seen their totals rise by a factor of 47 during the same period. In 1980, 17 different species were reared. In 2005 this had grown to more than 70.